The Blue Pearled Necklace
by GagaMidnight
Summary: Sequel to The Doctor the Woman And The Sniper: Mary bring a puzzle to Sherlock, that soon take him on a quest to find the stolen treasure that was robbed from a museum by the mysterious group called The Four.
1. Chapter 1

Everyone was seemingly having a lovely day, in London. It was a beautiful summer's day and the sky was clear, and blue. Not a cloud in sight. In a somewhat celebration of having such a wonderful day, Miss Cannon sent all her nursery children outside to play, in the nursery playground.

She began to tidy up when she noticed one of her nursery kids – a girl - sitting on the ground away from the rest of the children. She walked to the window and realised who it was, and with a sigh she went outside. "Are you not playing with the others?" she asked.

The girl shook her head. She bowed her head and stared at the ground. "Don't feel well." she mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't feel well." the girl repeated.

"Sherlene, what's wrong that makes you think you're not well."

"Sore throat." she replied.

"Have you really got a sore throat or are you just lying to me? I need to know the truth, sweetie."

Sherlene coughed as though to emphasise that she really was ill. She barely spoke -the girl- and it had surprised Miss Cannon, very much.

So she took Sherlene inside and she sat her down in the library where the cushions were. Sherlene automatically rested her head on one of those cushions and closed her eyes. It was not like the three year old at all; she was usually so full of energy. That was when Miss Cannon knew it was time to phone home, and get her picked up.

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK **

Sherlock sat alone in the flat with his books to keep him company. Irene had just released a series of children's novels based around him – which annoyed him greatly as he had no say in the matter – and was now at a library reading to a group of children. He had just finished a case, which John was surely blogging about, between seeing each patient at his new practice. He was enjoying the silence actually, as he got to read his own books, but it was ended when his mobile rang. "Hello." he answered. He listened to the reply on the other end before speaking again. "I am coming."

He got up off his chair and straightened his suit jacket, before putting his scarf on and then his coat. He began making his way downstairs, and outside, where he grabbed a taxi on the road.

When he was halfway to his destination he removed his mobile and began to text Irene. **"Pearl, is ill. I am picking her up from nursery."**

He chose to call his daughter, Sherlene pearl because he claimed that it sounded like the more common nickname for Sherlene, Sheryl and he decided that it was too boring a name to call his daughter as a pet name and so he called her pearl instead because they were rare, as was she.

When he was at the nursery Miss Cannon showed him her grasping the cushion, as though it was a teddy. She couldn't get any more information out of the three year old and so Sherlock was left to try and make sense out of her nodding and shakings of the head as replies.

He stepped over to her, and the first thing she noticed was his shoes, and the bottom of his coat. She immediately went on all fours and hugged his leg, a habit he really hated but loved at the same time. He supposed as a father, there were things that a parent disliked but couldn't live without at the same time and he guessed that was one of them. He also knew she did it to be picked up.

He picked up her up and kissed her forehead. "So, you're not well?" he asked her. Suddenly she buried her head into his shoulder and began to cry.

"I'll just take her home." Sherlock spoke and Miss Cannon nodded.

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK **

When Sherlene was home, Sherlock had a battle to get her arms away from his neck. She didn't want to be put down and he sighed, and blamed himself for spoiling her and then he discarded the thought and blamed Irene. She was the one who molly coddled her.

"Come on, Pearl." he begged, with a soft tone of voice. "I need to put you down so I can find you medicine to make you better."

She eventually stopped gripping onto his shoulder and he put her down on the sofa. He handed her, her teddy that was on the table and she hugged into it as she put her head on the cushion of the sofa. Sherlock, had learned from the two other times that Sherlene had been sick, that Irene usually gave her a spoonful of Calpol and so Sherlock fetched the bottle from the cupboard.

As though he was pouring some sort of chemical liquid into one of his beakers from his chemistry, he began to pour the liquid onto a spoon and gave it to Sherlene, and she made a disgusted face. "It is strawberry flavoured and you like strawberries." he stated to her as though somehow it would magically make it taste nicer.

"It's not strawberry. Disgusting." she replied, before sitting up straight and folding her arms. She looked at him sternly as though he had committed a crime and Sherlock drew his daughter the same look back.

"I'm back, dear." announced Irene as he made her way into the living room, carrying some grocery bags, with her. She sat them on the bunker and walked over to Sherlock before kissing his cheek.

"Oh good you've come back. Kindly see to your daughter, she is ill."

"What's the matter, baby?" Irene asked Sherlene.

"Sore throat." she replied.

"Oh, you poor thing. It's alright mummy will look after you now. Did daddy give you medicine?" she asked, when she saw the bottle of Calpol on the kitchen worktop. Sherlene nodded before Sherlock could reply.

"Is there anything else wrong?" Irene asked, looking at her daughter's left ear which looked slightly inflamed. She could tell her ear was sore, but she was trying to encourage her daughter to talk more. She rarely spoke much, which was what surprised her. John's son, Hamish talked away, and so did Mycroft's twins, Valerie and Hugo – with their limited vocabularies - but, Sherlene barely spoke unless she was spoken to and Irene knew her daughter was very much capable.

Sherlene touched her ear but didn't reply. "Is your ear sore?" Irene asked.

Sherlene nodded.

Irene put her hand on her daughter's head as Sherlock went over to his chemistry set to begin tidying it up into the necessary cupboards Irene had left empty for him. It was the agreement that he could keep it, if he tidied it away.

"I think that you should go to see, Uncle John, hmm?"

She shook her head.

"But sweetie, if you're not well we might need something more than Calpol and I can't get you medicine if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Sherlene began coughing and Irene rubbed her daughter's back.

Irene sighed. "I am going to have to take you to a doctor, so you can go see Uncle John or another doctor but you're going to see one."

She shook her head and buried her head into the sofa, as she clutched at her teddy tighter. "If you don't tell me what's wrong I can't help." Irene pleaded. She turned to Sherlock and shot him a look to tell him to assist in the recent matter. He sighed and walked over to the sofa before kneeling down.

"Pearl, do you want Uncle John to come here instead?" he asked.

She nodded, without looking around. "You don't want to go outside, do you?"

She shook her head again.

"Problem solved." Sherlock said to Irene, giving her a pat on the shoulder.

Sherlock went to go upstairs to get Sherlene a thermometer to take her temperature and Irene followed him. "What are we going to do?"

"She's most likely got a simple cold that's developed into an ear infection. Hence, the reason her throat is sore. Antibiotics are all that can help."

"But she won't speak to us."

"She did."

"Not enough, Sherlock. She was likely feeling that way when she woke up and she never said. We have to speak to her for her to talk to us. It's not healthy. Look at Mycroft's kids, and look at Hugo. They are both about a year and few months and they have very few words, and struggle with full sentences and they talk away."

"And my daughter doesn't and so I appreciate that. Children who talk too much are far too annoying." Sherlock replied, as he made his way into his bedroom and to the drawers. He handed Irene the thermometer and she took it while drawing him a look.

Sherlock removed his phone and text John. **"Pearl, is sick could you come over later and prescribe her something. Thanks. SH."**

"She'll grow out of it." Sherlock assured, Irene before kissing her forehead.

Irene blinked. _"I hope so." she thought. _

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Mary came back from a day of teaching to find a letter on the table. She immediately recognised the writing and picked it up to read it. "John, when did the post come?"

"I don't know but it was there at one o'clock." John replied. "Hamish is upstairs sleeping. Had a tiring day in the play area, at the practice."

"Oh I thought it was your day off today?" Mary asked.

"One of my Locums is in hospital getting their appendix removed and I couldn't get another one to come in so I just popped in to keep traffic going. Then I had to pop over to Sherlock's…"

"Oh, is everything alright?" Mary asked as she picked up a letter opener to open the letter.

"Yeah; everything is fine." John replied before sitting down and picking up the newspaper. He looked up curiously as Mary began reading the letter. Within a matter of seconds her face lost her usual charming smile to frown very suddenly in thought.

"Something wrong?" John asked.

"John, would you be angry at me if I kept a secret from you?" Mary asked.

"Have you kept a secret from me?" John asked. "Are you going to keep a secret from me?"

"Remember when we had just moved in here and it was my birthday I received that blue pearl?"

"Yes." John nodded.

"And then a few months later I got another one, and a few months after that and you said if another one comes we'd have to go to the police in case I had a rich stalker."

"Yes." John nodded, suddenly seeing where this was going.

"Well I got one more blue pearl and I never said because…"

"You never said? Mary when did you get it?"

"Last month."

"Now, come on Mary you should have told me. What if someone was after you?"

"Look, I don't think it is a stalker."

"How can you be sure?" John asked.

"I took what I had to a jeweller to get them appraised and he said they were Indian. I just thought that perhaps my father was alive and sending them to me. He migrated to India and worked as a security guard in a museum but I already told you that. So…I assumed."

Tears began to leave her eyes and John moved over to the sofa, throwing the newspaper on the table as he did. He sat beside her and put her arm around her. "I'm sorry I didn't realise."

"But it's not him, I don't think or perhaps someone who knows him. Look at the letter."

John began to read it.

"**Miss Mortsan or - Mrs Watson as you are now called – I must ask you to be at the third pillar from the left outside the Lyceum Theatre, at exactly seven o'clock tonight. I do not want you to feel at all frightened and I will allow you to bring two friends, as long as they are not from the police force. An injustice has been brought on you and I hope to perhaps ease it. Again, I must ask you not to bring police or all will be lost, and in vain. Your unknown friend."**

John was going to speak but Mary spoke before he could. "I know what you are going to say but please don't say no. Would a stalker allow me to bring friends? Think, John! We can't go to the police…"

"What I want to know is how tonight isn't tomorrow night or was it meant to be last night…"

"Perhaps, someone else posted it through the door. We don't get our post until four usually, John. Please, allow me to go. I just know that this is about my father."

"I think we should go and see Sherlock." John said firmly. The letterbox of the front door suddenly clanked and Mary smiled.

"Didn't I tell you?"

"We're still going to see, Sherlock." John replied. "If anything he can come too."

"Whatever you say." Mary replied.

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

Sherlock was sitting at his laptop and answering an email to Mycroft that was filled with the usual sibling rivalry banter, while Irene glanced at her daughter with worry. She had barely spoken a word to, John when he came to see what was wrong with her, and prescribe her some form of an antibiotic. She barely spoke to the people she considered her own family, and that concerned Irene.

Sherlene was completely unaware of her mother's worries or the current 'debate' Mycroft and Sherlock were having. She was more interested in reading one of her children's books her mother had written. She was always first to get them, even before they were published, mostly because Irene had begun writing them for her daughter when Sherlock was acting dead to the world. She wanted something for her child to see their father as a hero in a child friendly way. It could still be used for that and every time she looked at the pictures she liked to think 'daddy'. Irene didn't know if her daughter could read or not but she could practically remember the story off by heart. Her favourite one was The Damsel In Distress because it featured a lot of her family members. Their names were never mentioned but she knew exactly who each and every one was.

"Do you want me to read to you?" Irene asked Sherlene. She shook her head and put her book on the table before walking over to her father and staring at him.

Sherlock sighed and sat her on his knee. At her new height she found it easier to reach and pick up her father's Sudoku Rubik's cube and began to turn it around.

When she was satisfied with turning it enough she put it on the table and looked at her father. He looked at her pleading eyes and smiled. "I suppose it's better than speaking to Mycroft."

He closed the laptop lid over and took the cube off the desk before turning it over in his hands. "Hmm…you've just jumbled it up well."

Sherelene smiled at the compliment. Irene smiled too as Sherlock began to solve it. Within half a minute he had done it. He always put a few moments on longer to do the puzzle each time on purpose so that his daughter would think she was doing something worth being praised for.

"There you go." Sherlock replied before opening up his laptop lid again and typing. She looked around to her mother who smiled. Sherlene smiled back and rested her head into Sherlock's suit jacket. She was still not feeling well.

"I think someone should go to bed for a while." Irene spoke, before walking over to Sherlene who did not protest.

The doorbell rang. "Will you get that for me, Sherlock?"

"Hmm." he replied as Irene began making her way to the living room door with Sherlene trailing behind her.

"I said will you get the door?"

"Yeah." he replied, not paying too much attention. He closed his laptop lid over and made his way downstairs to answer it. When he did he saw John and Mary.

"You should tell your neighbour John to get rid of the cat." Sherlock stated. "So why have you left Hamish with her? Hmm..."

"Can we explain without you deducing it?" John asked with a hint of irritation in his voice. Sherlock stood aside and extended his arm to it faced the stairs. Mary and John went inside and began making their way upstairs.

"How is my Goddaughter?" John asked Irene as soon as he came into the living room.

"I just took her up to sleep. She was getting tired." Irene replied. "Is something wrong?"

Mary turned around and handed Sherlock the letter she had received. Sherlock blinked and began to read it. "Do you honestly think I have a stalker, Sherlock?" Mary asked.

"Hardly a stalker for one would not allow you to bring company. You've received more than just this letter before haven't you?" Sherlock asked.

Irene leaned forward in her seat as she began to listen.

"When I first moved into the house, I got sent a blue pearl on my birthday and…"

"Sit down before you begin a long explanation." Sherlock spoke.

Irene shot him a look. "I'm only being polite!" he defended.

Everyone else in the living room rolled their eyes before sitting down. Sherlock stood pacing up and down, at the fireplace with his hands clasped behind his back.

"So you got sent a blue pearl for your birthday. Unusual. Do you have it with you?"

"Of course she has it with her." John snapped.

Sherlock stopped pacing and turned around to face John, his hands still clasped behind his back. "May I see it?" he asked with a patronisingly kind manner.

Mary handed a box to John, and John then handed it to Sherlock who sat down on his armchair and opened it. "Did this box come with the pearl?"

"The second pearl I received."

"So naturally we can assume there is more to come. It's not yet complete yet. Shape of a necklace."

He began examining the box more closely. "Box is Indian. Antique. As is the pearls. Small diamonds on the outside. I would say Indian as well if this is the box for them, which seems to be considering they fit perfectly into box's shape. Your father worked in India, did he not?"

"Yes, he was a night time security guard for an antiquities museum somewhere in the Adamans, I thought that when I got the pearl it could have been him and…"

"Yes, natural assumption of human thinking." Sherlock stated.

"You last saw your father two years before you started university." Irene questioned.

"Yes. He was working over there because his friend who had been the curator before the new one who hired him, had recommended him. C."

"C?" Sherlock questioned.

"Cecil." Mary replied. "He didn't like his name much."

"Oh." Sherlock nodded. "So he went missing, ten years ago?"

Mary nodded. "I phoned C when I couldn't find him at the hotel he told me to meet him at, and he said that he didn't know about him being there, but my father always told C when he'd be coming. They were good friends and sometimes C knew before me when my father was coming to Britain."

"You were twenty three, then?"

"Yes."

"Ten years ago roughly that he disappeared then." Sherlock asked.

Mary nodded and Sherlock sighed. He stood up and handed her the necklace case. "I imagine that this is indeed tied to your father, but I will not be making assumptions until I've gotten all of the facts. I think there is nothing yet to do but comply with the wishes of the person who wrote this. You, John and I will go to this theatre and meet your anonymous friend. Try and think of anything unusual around that time period, before and after he went missing."

"Is that wise?" Irene asked before the other three could say anymore. "You don't know who you are meeting? Fair, enough they are not a stalker but it could be a trap for you, Sherlock. What better way to lure you than to use your two best friends?"

"Apparently Mary's unknown friend wants to ease an in justice and so they will. Whatever injustice that has been set on her we'll obviously find out later tonight. I assure, Woman that even if it is a trap we will all be fine. Besides, no one's tried to kill me in five months. That's got to be a record." he replied, earning a nod from Irene. He turned to John. "It's in the West this theatre I imagine?"

"Yeah." John replied.

"Meet here at six and we'll get a taxi over."

John and Mary left and Irene turned around to, Sherlock.

"What is the injustice that this person, speaks about?" Irene asked.

"It's most likely a man going by the hand writing." Sherlock spoke. "He was quite hesitant as he wrote though, which suggests that there is something that would hold him back from speaking to, Mary. I do worry however that the odds are not in favour for, Mary's father to still be…"

They heard footsteps, suddenly and they turned around to see Sherlene. "Sweetie, I thought you were resting." Irene spoke as her daughter came up to sit on her knee and cuddle in to her.

Sherlene put her hand on her ear and began to cry. "Is your ear sore darling?" Irene asked. Her daughter nodded. Irene looked up to see what Sherlock was thinking but he was in the corner on his laptop typing away.

"Sherlock, what are you doing?"

"Research." he replied before looking and seeing his daughter in pain. Her eyes were teary, and he swallowed.

He walked over and touched her shoulder. "Do you want to sit on my knee, Pearl?" he asked and she nodded. He lifted her up and then walked back to his laptop, and sat down.

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**


	3. Chapter 3

Sherlock left Baker Street with Mary and John in a taxi, leaving Irene and Sherlene in the flat. Sherlene was playing with her father's Sudoku cube now that she felt a tiny bit better. Her medicine was beginning to work, and relieve her of the pain in her ear, or so Irene assumed from her daughter's change in mood.

Irene walked over to her daughter who was sitting on the sofa looking through her book about animals. She enjoyed looking at the photos inside.

Sherlene looked up at her mother with curiosity in her eyes that matched Sherlock's. She had her mother's looks and most likely her nature, but her eyes were identical to her father's.

Irene began stroking her daughter's hair and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

Sherlene pouted in thought. "I don't know." she replied.

"Is it because your throat is sore?" Irene asked and Sherlene nodded.

"Would you like some ice-cream?"

Sherlene nodded with a smile and Irene smiled too. "Are you thirsty?"

Sherlene nodded.

"Why did you not tell me, honey?"

"Didn't ask." she replied.

Horror struck Irene as her daughter suddenly had a moment identical to her father. She was certainly picking up a few bad habits.

"Right, sweetie. But if you don't tell me then I don't know and I don't always ask because I don't know. I need you tell me when things are wrong. OK?"

"OK." sighed Sherlene. Irene took her daughter's hand. "Why don't you come with me, darling and you can pick the ice cream you want and what you want to drink."

Sherlene hesitantly put her book down as though she was making a large, and horrible mistake, before letting her mother help her down off the sofa and into the kitchen.

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

The trio left the cab and made their way up to the third pillar of the Lyceum theatre. Sherlock was constantly looking around, as he made his way, for the slightest person who could fit the bill of the person involved.

Mary and John reached the pillar first. As soon as they got to the pillar and began waiting a man slid his way around from the other side and lit a cigarette. "Are you the people accompanying Mary Watson?" he asked briskly.

"I am Mary Watson." Mary replied. By this time Sherlock had gotten there and he was now staring at the man with question.

"None of your friends are from the police?" he asked.

Sherlock scoffed at the idea of it and Mary smiled. "I assure you that none of these men are from the police."

She turned to John. "This is my husband, and the other man is a friend of ours."

He nodded, and removed a mobile phone from his pocket, before dialling a number with the use of the keypad. John saw Mary getting nervous and he held her hand.

"Bring the car round." the man ordered.

Within a matter of minutes a black car came around the corner and parked.

"Come please before we get a parking ticket."

So the trio made their way into the car, John still holding Mary's hand. As to Sherlock, he was showing no signs of any emotion, or attachment to the case. He didn't look excited to be on a puzzle, or anything. He just sat there watching out of the window as the car continued.

"_Perhaps he is worried about Sherlene." John wondered. _

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

As Irene spent time on her computer emailing her some of her fans, Sherlene went upstairs to her room. She opened up the chest at the bottom of her bed and found her colouring book, and pencils. She spread it out on her floor, and lay on her belly as she began to colour in her picture with only one thing troubling her. _"Where is daddy?" _

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

The car stopped outside a large apartment building. Sherlock nodded and John noted this. He was sure acting quite strangely since leaving Baker Street at six o'clock. It had to be more than worry about his daughter.

"_He's keeping something from us. I know he is. Smug prat." _

They were lead into the lobby, and then to the elevator. It was more like a fancy hotel building than an apartment building. "Wow, this place is nice." John commented.

Sherlock smiled. "You should have seen Irene's loft in New Jersey."

John drew Sherlock a look; he'd never mentioned to John about New Jersey before.

The elevator stopped at the top floor and the doors opened to reveal a living room. "Wow." John said surprised.

Mary smiled. Sherlock however was not surprised. He had seen their escort use a key to move the elevator which naturally told him it led to a loft – a bit more hi-tech than an elevator a hall way, like Irene's old loft in New Jersey.

The escort made his way into the living room as Mary and John peered out from the elevator to look around the living room which was covered in Indian style furniture. Mary smiled as she admired an ornamental elephant.

There was the sound of a door opening, and then closing and then they heard someone speak. "Aren't you going to leave the elevator, Mrs Watson?"

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

Irene realised that Sherlene had been upstairs longer than usual and so she decided it was best to check on her. When she got up there, her daughter's door was opened, and her colouring book was lying on the rainbow carpet. But there was no sign of Sherlene.

"Sweetie!" Irene called.

Then she heard footsteps as her daughter emerged from Sherlock's room. "Sweetie, what were you doing in there?"

Her daughter rubbed her eyes, to get rid of the forming tears. The effects of her medicine had obviously worn off and Irene swallowed. She hated seeing her daughter so ill and upset and she could tell now exactly why she was in her mother and father's room. She was missing her father.

Irene walked over and took her daughter's hand. "I think you're due your medicine. Will we go downstairs and get it?"

Sherlene nodded and Irene began leading her down the staircase, and into the living room. "You go sit down and I'll get you your medicine and a nice drink of orange juice to wash it down."

When she got to the fridge, Irene turned around and saw that Sherlene was sitting on Sherlock's armchair with her head resting on the arm and tears streaming down her cheeks. Irene removed her mobile and began to text Sherlock.

"**Sherlene's back to square one, effects of medicine have worn off. This is her last dose before bed. I think she's missing you." **

Irene put her phone in her pocket after clicking send. She then took the bottle of orange juice from the fridge and poured it into Sherlene's favourite cup. Afterwards she got her medicine and took it and the cup of orange juice into the living room to Sherlene. Her daughter grimaced at the taste of the antibiotic and the Calpol, and was grateful for the orange juice afterwards.

"Will mummy take you to bed now, and read you a story?"

Sherlene shook her head.

"You can't wait up for, daddy you know."

Sherlene sighed and took her mother's hand. "Come on sweetie. He's really busy and has a lot to do."

How could Irene explain cases to a three year old and how that they sometimes took her father away from the house? Even if that three year old was the daughter of two very intelligent people. She was still a little girl, who needed her father to make her better and feel safe. And how was she going to explain the latter to, Sherlock?

**END OF CHAPTER THREE**


	4. Chapter 4

Sherlock looked at the man who strolled into the living room of the loft apartment, quietly taking in his tailored suit, his Rolex watch, his diamond cufflinks, and then his attention turned to the Indian curiosities in the room and finally to a photo on the mantelpiece. His phone alert suddenly went off and the man who had escorted him turned to him with an off look upon his face.

Sherlock went to remove his mobile from his coat and before he could reach to it, the escort had taken the phone from his hands.

"Williams, it is quite alright." came the voice of that man who had, walked into the room.

"Who is Sherlene?" Williams asked.

"William!" bellowed the rich man again.

William's reluctantly gave, Sherlock his mobile back.

"Mrs Watson, your unknown friend." he said, extending his hand for Mary to shake. Mary did so politely before he continued. "Thaddeus Sholto but I am known as Teddy amongst my friends."

He turned to Sherlock. "Sherlock Holmes, I have read of your adventures in both children's tales and on the blog of Dr John H Watson. A pleasure to meet you but I do hope that you will not contact you friends at Scotland Yard."

"Friends." Sherlock scoffed. "I would not exactly say that."

Teddy moved over to, John. "And you must be Dr Watson. If I had known you would have brought, Sherlock Holmes I would have asked for four people and I could have met, Irene Adler."

"What a shame, that my daughter is ill or she could have." Sherlock replied. "How long have you had high blood pressure for?"

"I beg your pardon?" Teddy questioned.

"You're on propranolol. Bottle of those beta-blockers on your desk."

"Stop showing off." John spoke.

"It's quite alright, Dr Watson." Teddy replied. "Please everyone take a seat. Williams you can go for now."

When Williams was gone Teddy looked to the trio. "I should probably begin my explanation as to why I've brought you here."

"Please do, Mr Sholto for time flies and it is getting late." said Sherlock, rather briskly. John had not heard his friend be so impolite in a while. He had often just put up with his clients and he could tell something was absolutely bothering him so much so that he was rushing Sholto. "_Sherlene?" _

"But we've only just started, Mr Holmes." Teddy replied. "I must tell you what I have to you all, and then we'll be going to my father's estate in Norwood."

"Do you know how busy traffic is, Mr Sholto?" Sherlock questioned. "We ought to leave at once be it the case. You can tell us on the way."

"No, you have to understand the entire story."

He stood up and took his beta-blockers off the desk. "I hope you don't mind but this story is stressful and since your own father, died Mrs Watson of a heart attack then I would like to be careful."

Mary swallowed, but was not completely surprised. His words still stung though and she felt almost as if something had punched her heart. John looked up to him ready to kill him, but he caught Sherlock's expression. It was unmoved. He understood that Sherlock was totally different went it came to human emotion – although he was changing for the better – but he wasn't even surprised in the remote sense.

Mary put a hand on John's as she saw him become rather angry.

"To let you understand, my father was John Sholto. I do not know if you've heard of a John that your father was friends with but…he was the day time guard of a museum in the Adamans. It sold various Indian curiosities and antiquities. But there was one particular section which had small items, which cost a lot of money.

"The jewellery section." Sherlock uttered.

"Mr Holmes?" Teddy questioned.

"Oh please, do not allow me to interrupt you." Sherlock replied.

"Somehow both of our fathers were caught up in something. He did not give full details, but…"

"The robbery." Sherlock interrupted. "Night watchmen were never accused, however they have obviously ended up in possession of the treasure, or rather your father did. You say that Mary's father died of a heart attack. But he's missing…Your father must have been present when this happened. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Mr Holmes, you are!" Teddy replied, rather bitterly.

"Did my father suffer from a poor heart, Mr Sholto?" Mary asked. "He never said, if he did."

"I am afraid he did, Mrs Watson. Please, though my name is Teddy to you."

"Why should she get friendly with someone who just boldly out stated that her father is dead?" John asked. "And you Sherlock…"

"John, please…It is not Teddy's fault. He is trying to help me get some closure."

"I promise that I will try my hardest but the treasure, Mrs Watson has been found and you will get the share. But first, I need to continue. Where was I? Ah yes…I do not know the other people behind the robbery but I imagine that there must have been more. My twin brother and I were living in a small flat. We barely had much to eat some days, and suddenly we are in an estate in Norwood. But, he had no money for it. He was still not in possession of the treasure. He must have took out a loan – which we found to be the case – and then a few months later, along comes your father. My brother and I were sleeping at this time. But at that point I think they got into an argument about how they were going to split the treasure, and there was one necklace, that your father wanted more than anything else, and the rest of it you shall have Mrs Watson!"

"Mary, please." Mary replied, with a polite smile.

"That was when he umm….do forgive me, Mary…"

"It is quite alright. I understand." Mary spoke. "It was no one's fault at the time. But one question still lies in my mind. Where…umm..."

"I can assure you, Mary that he was buried with dignity."

Mary nodded.

"When did you find out about the treasure?" Sherlock asked.

"When my father was dying. He had taken a fall, where he ruptured his spleen. We did not know about it, and even if we did he was too ill to cope with surgery to remove it. He must have known he was dying. He told us the whole story, in the sunroom. He told us that, he wanted us to share the treasures with you and give you one necklace in particular but we'd not to give them away until he was dead, but before he could tell us where the treasure was, the window cleaner began cleaning the windows, except it wasn't…"

"Wasn't the normal window cleaner or it would not be relevant." Sherlock spoke.

"Will you shut up?!" John asked.

"Forgive me." he said apologetically. "I do get carried away at some times. Cooped up inside with no case, for a few hours."

"I imagine, Mr Holmes." Teddy replied. "He was frightened by this man, and he told us to get him away. He went away as fast as he could. He did not run away though, but he was sort of hobbling very, very quickly. When we – we being my brother, Barty and I - we leaned close to him for him to tell us where he had hidden the items he spoke of, but he was already dead. I wanted to send the necklace to you as soon as I found out but I could not find you and when I finally did about three years ago, he was reluctant to let me send you the whole thing and bizarrely enough he let me send you one jewel, and then I sent another, with the box."

"It was very kind of you!" Mary said, gratefully.

"It was the least I could do. My brother and I, are wealthy business men! Our father had managed to sell some of his own treasure, already and left it to us, and we made our own way in the world too! But you are but a teacher who earns very little a year compared to us. You will get your necklace and much more, Mrs Watson. I assure you!"

"So we are going to Norwood now?" Sherlock asked.

"Yes, surprise old Barty." Teddy replied. "It's the best thing to do."

"And this really cannot wait until the morning?" Sherlock asked.

"No." Teddy replied.

"John, Mary, do you have someone to look after, Hamish? If not I'll phone Irene and…"

"It's alright, Harry is looking after him."

"_And she's still a bit mad, that she's not one of his god parents." John added mentally. _

"Williams!" Teddy spoke down the phone. "Bring the car around!"

**END OF CHAPTER FOUR**


	5. Chapter 5

It was silent on the journey to Teddy Sholto's family estate: John stared out of the window on the way there; Mary stared at the floor of the car processing all that she had learned; Teddy's hands were rather shaky; and as for the consulting detective he was looking around him constantly, leaving John to wonder what Sherlock knew.

When they got to the house Sherlock removed his phone to check the time. He glanced around the front of the garden before Teddy walked passed him, rather briskly. John and Mary followed, before Sherlock took one last look around him, and then followed the others.

As soon as they were in the house Teddy looked around. "I don't think Barty has come downstairs recently. But then again he was doing some important research for his pharmaceutical company when I left."

"Tell me, Mr Sholto, how did you find the location of the treasure?"

Teddy led the trio into a living room, and told them to sit down before answering the question. "Well, Barty spent time thinking. If Mary's father had come to him about the treasure, it had to be within this house. So he took measurements of the entire height of the house inside, and the width inside and compared it to the measurements for outside. It did not match. Four feet were missing from the top, above Barty's room. We knocked through the plaster, and we found a few boxes all with the rest of our fortune. But, father was clever you see, there was other curiosities around the house that he had bought with money that he had earned from selling some of the jewellery at auction and then bought items, that only appreciated in worth of the years."

Teddy picked up a vase, from a coffee table. "Take this for example. Cost my father, ten thousand pounds. It is now worth two million."

Teddy called upstairs to Barty. There was no answer. "Excuse me."

He began walking up the stairs, and a few moments later Teddy came running down. "Barty…has…an…" he began holding his chest, as his breathing picked up. "an air lock on his door. He must have locked it when I left, for privacy. I looked through and umm…"

Sherlock sped ahead and was upstairs, rather quickly doing exactly what Teddy did, and looking through the key hole. "I see." Sherlock spoke. He looked at the door, before removing a lock pick and lock picking it open. John tapped his shoulder and then he saw what Sherlock saw.

"Jesus!" exclaimed John.

Bartholomew Sholto's head was lying on his desk, with crimson cover the area around his head. "Dead." Sherlock sated.

"Perfectly sound analysis, but I was hoping you'd go deeper." John remarked.

Sherlock smiled, and forced himself not to laugh. It would be inappropriate and he knew if Irene found out about it he'd be a dead man walking.

He looked at the window. It was closed, bolted from the inside.

"How did they get in?" Sherlock asked.

"The door to his room was locked." spoke Teddy suddenly, with a rather weak voice.

"Mr Sholto, I strongly suggest that you phone the police right away and remain downstairs."

"Mr Holmes I don't want them investigating this. Have you not heard how incompetent the detectives are around this area?"

"Can't be any worse than Scotland Yard." replied Sherlock. "I will be advising them! Now go!"

When Teddy was out of the room, Sherlock looked up to the hole in the ceiling. "Must have been where their treasure was kept."

"Anything on who did this?"

Sherlock looked over to Barty, and noticed a piece of card right next to him. "John do you have any forensic gloves, I didn't bring mine?"

"Do I look like I have forensics gloves?"

Sherlock sighed. "Of course, not but it was worth a try. Now I'll have to wait on their police folk."

"Oh well, a large audience to show off to. Shall I film it so you can show, Irene?" John teased. "Impress her, a bit? She must get bored, of you sometimes."

"She doesn't…" began Sherlock. "Shut up!"

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

Sherlene lay awake, staring at her ceiling and the shadows of the cars driving passed Baker Street. It was four nights in a row that, Sherlock had not tucked her in and not been there at night and it was quite frightening for her in a way. She felt much safer when her father was in the house. But, when he wasn't there, the fear that something bad could happen, crept over her; only her daddy could fix it.

She got out of bed and put her teddy in her place, so that if her mother came to check on her it would look like there was some life there. She quietly left her room, creeping softly on the floor so that her mother would not hear her. She made her way downstairs and into the living room. She switched on the lamp and sat on the sofa to read her animal book. She was waiting on her daddy, even if her mother said that she couldn't.

When she got tired of reading she stood up and began to look out of the window. Someone was standing, staring up at Baker Street and Sherlene froze. She couldn't see who because of the lack of light, but she now very frightened.

"Mummy!" called Sherlene. "Mummy!"

Irene was not sleeping and so she instantly heard her daughter calling her. She sounded really upset and so she went out of the room and realised that her daughter was downstairs. Irene sprinted down the stairs and into the living room.

"What's wrong, baby? Why are you down here?"

"Someone's outside!"

Irene looked outside, and saw who was outside, putting out a cigarette before walking away quietly. He did give Irene the creeps as well but she shrugged it off for the moment, she couldn't let Sherlene see she was worried.

"Sweetie, sometimes people stand and admire the curtains…."

"Not stupid." Sherlene replied.

"Of course you are not stupid but it was absolutely nothing to worry about."

Irene took her daughter upstairs. "You can come and sleep with me. I don't think daddy is coming back tonight. This only worried Sherlene more. She maybe be a little girl but 'looking at the curtains' did not fool her. He was looking into the house for a reason, and Sherlene knew it. But being with her mother, made her fall asleep easily and Irene texted from her bed, to Sherlock.

**"It may be nothing but there was someone outside the flat, looking up at our window and he didn't seem to care that he was being watched, by a three year old but when I went to look he left."**

The reply came back rather quickly. **"What? Are you alright? Is Pearl alright?" **

Irene sighed. Her daughter was not really alright but Sherlock was busy. **"She's fine, for now." **Irene replied.

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**

**A/N Great big thank you to you all! : ) I know there is a lot different from the original in here, and it's because of modernisation. New ideals etc. Hope I did not disappoint. **


	6. Chapter 6

Inspector Athelney Jones made his way into the Norwood house. "Where is your brother?" he asked Thaddeus Sholto.

"Up...he is...up...upstairs." he stammered in reply.

"Stay down here, I am waiting on my sergeants and pathologist coming." he ordered Teddy as he put on a pair of white gloves. He turned around to Mary. "And who might you be woman?" he asked pompously.

"I came here with my friends."

"Where are they now?" asked Jones.

"Upstairs." said Mary.

Jones made his way up and looked at the room door which was lying open. "Well well well, what do we have here?" Jones asked.

"Who do we have here?" corrected Sherlock.

A smile of amusement spread itself across on Jones' face. "Well if it isn't the consulting deceive. The theorist!"

"You mean the theorist who presented you a jewel thief who had stolen a rather precious Gem from that young duchess's jewellery box?" asked Sherlock with disdain. Out of Lestrade and Jones he would choose Lestrade any day. At least Lestrade listened to him and appreciated Sherlock's help.

"The luck of a twenty three year old."

"Excuse me but who is this, Sherlock?" John asked.

"Detective Inspector Jones this is my friend, Dr Watson. John this is Detective Inspector Jones."

Jones who had not looked at John's blog or Sherlock's website looked at the wedding rings on both their hands and presumed that John and Sherlock were a couple. "Sherlock you can introduce your husband to me. I will not judge."

John looked horrified and Sherlock sighed and turned around. "The woman downstairs is who I am married to!" John blurted. "I have a son called Hamish and he is married and has a daughter."

"The theorist is married and has a daughter. I dread to judge the intelligence of his wife."

"I dread to judge the intelligence of yours." Sherlock replied, turning around sharply. He handed his phone over to Jones. "A photo of my wife and daughter. I can assure you that my wife is not stupid and she's so clever that she almost brought this country to its knees but she was too kind and decided not to."

Jones' face fell. "Well, we are waiting on my sergeants coming." He handed Sherlock a set of gloves. "Perhaps..."

"The theorist could assist you until they come?"

"Don't be like that Sherlock, it cannot be denied that you are bragged about often amongst Scotland Yard for hitting the nail on the head sometimes."

Sherlock handed John a set of gloves and told him to put them on. "Right where to start." said Sherlock, closing the door behind him. "Windows locked from the inside but someone came through them. Grapple marks made recently. Footprints from the dust were swept up using that brush. You cold analyse it for finger prints but I am sure our killers would be careful. Or at least I hope so or else there would be no point in me investigating. There is a card left in our dead twin's hand. This says the sign of the four. Or rather it is the old Sikh symbol for four. You should use your imagination." began Sherlock as he went to each area of the room.

"Here we have piece of metal that has been scraped off of some object. I will know more when I take it for analysis. Yes I am doing it because your scientists take three weeks to do tests. If you want something done your way you do it yourself. The curiosities that the brothers were keeping safe were upstairs but they have been taken. But the door in here was locked from the inside they couldn't get in through there and therefore the only way they could get in would be through a trap door in the roof."

Holmes climbed into the attic space. "John ask Jones for a torch."

John passed him it up and Sherlock shone it through the space. ""Oh I am still good. There is indeed a trap door and it's open."

He rested his torch light on a foot print that was on the ground below the window. "And it looks like we have a print. Will probably need mould for that. Send the rest of the evidence to 221b Baker Street." he ordered Jones as he climbed down the ladder. "By the way I pride myself on facts not theories and that way I bend theories to suit facts and not the other way around. Oh and read a blog now and then and you might realise just how brilliant my wife really is if you still have your doubts on her intelligence. I am sure there is also a handsome French detective in Paris who will help you out on that matter as well. John you should get Mary home."

When they got downstairs Sherlock turned to John. "I am going to take a look outside."

Sherlock began looking around the perimeter of the house with the torch and eventually he found a chip of wood below the window that one of the killer's had used to get inside. He pocketed it and began to question everything. _"Why didn't they both go in the trap door?" _was one of them.

He walked up to John. "In the morning stop by Scotland Yard and speak to Lestrade. Ask him to take over the case and that I'll do the work. Also phone Mycroft and tell him that I will need a copy of his surveillance on the flat sent to me. Don't tell him why just tell him it will help me in a case."

John nodded. "Why do you need it?" he asked.

"Someone frightened my Pearl and I am not happy!" he replied before straightening his jacket.

John looked at him with question and then shook his head.

**SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK SHERLOCK**

Irene crept downstairs and opened the front door before walking outside and over to the cigarette on the ground. She put it in a plastic bag and then went back in the house. _"No I am just being stupid now!...But, then again he didn't look away…What's going on?...It's probably nothing…But Sherlock has lots of enemies and it could have been one of them…You're just panicking now, Irene stop it. Stop it…"_

She dumped the plastic bag on the table. _"Sherlock can get DNA off it if he wishes."_

She locked her door on the way back upstairs and went inside Sherlene's room to make up her bed, while her daughter slept in her's. She looked around the room, it was tidy. It was always tidy. Most kids had the place a mess but not her. The only things on the floor were shadows of the bases of furniture. She was a strange three year old and what Irene was surprised about was why she was surprised at it. She was Sherlock's daughter, she had to be abnormal. Irene sighed and found her daughter's colouring book. Not one dot of a colouring pencil was out of place and she couldn't help but shake her head.

_"Sherlock's daughter. Truly."_

She walked back into her room and saw Sherlene sleeping peacefully. She smiled and lay down next to her. Sherlene may have gotten to sleep but Irene knew she was not going to be that much. She looked at her phone.

**"****_At Bart's. I will see you in the morning. I don't care who was outside and whether or not they were up to no good, but they still frightened by Pearl and I am not happy at all! Who does he or she think they are?"_**

Irene did not know whether to laugh, cry or shake her head at the recent text message. She put the phone on the bedside cabinet and let her head hit the pillow.

**END OF CHAPTER SIX**

a/n sorry for the long update wait but school has been annoying and all that other stuff. Thanks to everyone: for the reviews, the alerts etc and umm…I will try and update soon but I might find it difficult. I want to update 18th century adventures first, and then Huntik again because I want them finished by Christmas. I won't be doing any more work on my Potterlock one until then either. It'll fit in though because it's coming up for Christmas day in that. Umm…also same for NCIS for those who have me on alert for that. Emm…yeah so I have not abandoned these stories guys is basically what I am trying to say it's just school is trolling me.

I am away to do the maths homework I need to do. You have any queries etc PM me and sometimes I just need someone to talk to about Sherlock, or NCIS, or Huntik or Potter or whatever and I will talk for days on end with any of you. Sorry for the ran but I am here and I take everyone's opinions into account.


	7. Chapter 7

The traces of metal Sherlock had found at the crime scene had been from a prosthetic limb and Sherlock's work in the lab has discovered that. This told Sherlock that whoever had been in the house to steal the museums stolen goods could very well have been the man Teddy Sholto was on about - it explained the hobbling and it also explained why he could not climb very well and had to have assistance. Sherlock had seen the grapple marks on the windowsill.

He was thinking about all this when the door to the lab opened suddenly. "Five o'clock on the morning and you're already in? That is early Molly." he greeted the woman who opened the door.

Molly looked up, startled. She had not expected to see Sherlock so soon after he had already solved a case and not so early in the morning either. She let her eyes scan the lab. She did not have to be him to tell he had been there a while. He looked at her, ready to speak again. She wished that he would not stare at her with his cold deductive blue eyes. They made her heart ache. After many years she still had a crush on him but what hurt her the most was not that he wasn't in love with her but that she was not good enough to be even considered by him. She felt stupid and not very pretty.

Looking at Irene Molly could see what Sherlock's type was. Or rather what would make him remove some of his cold exterior to let someone in. Irene was beautiful and she was very kind natured but she knew when to put Sherlock in his place. She wasn't scared to do that and she told him when he was wrong. She was also very clever and he praised her often and when she praised him he seemed to get high and happy. Like a soldier receiving a medal of some sorts.

"You haven't seen a working coffee machine have you? They all appear to be broken." Sherlock asked. He was still oblivious to Molly's feelings for him.

"They don't get turned on until eight." she replied, dryly - trying to remain detached.

"That is boring." Sherlock replied, before turning to look at his computer screen which has just made a beeping noise, indicating it had a match one something."

"You have something?" asked Molly, still remaining quite cold. Not that Sherlock was paying attention. She wondered if Irene ever managed to make him see how annoyed or how hurt or how she was feeling in general with the tone of her voice. _"Stop comparing yourself to perfection, Molly." She scolded herself._

"Oh that's clever. Need to smuggle them out somehow."

He jumped up and out of the lab, leaving Molly to let out a frustrated sigh.

OooO

Sherlock only went straight home because he assumed Greg Lestrade would still be sleeping and so would John and Mary. As he stepped up to Baker Street he felt angry all of a sudden as he questioned if someone was really watching the house. Even he couldn't be too careful; he did have a lot of enemies.

He opened the door with his key and closed it behind him. He made his way upstairs quietly and into his room to find both Irene and Sherlene sleeping. Irene immediately awoke and Sherlock put a finger on her lips in case she was startled. "It's just me."

"Do I know you?" she asked with a smile. "You look familiar...maybe someone important...Oh that is right you are Sherlock Holmes who should have been back hours ago around the same time that John went back to Mary."

"I was at Bart's." he replied defensively. "You don't usually complain."

"You never said that you were going there. I was worried."

"About me?"

"No I mean Bart's, who do you think?" asked Irene sarcastically. "Yes I was worried about you."

She got up and ruffled his hair as though he was some form of child. "You really are silly sometimes. Come on we need to talk. We will leave your daughter to sleep in peace."

When downstairs Sherlock began asking questions, as he looked at the cigarette Irene had found outside. "This is…"

"What?"

"Nothing." Sherlock replied. "Don't you have another one of those reading things you need to go to."

"I am going to phone and say I can't go. I'll have to look after Sherlene."

"No!" Sherlock replied. "You can go. I will look after her."

"But you are in the middle of a case."

"Chances are Jones won't be out of his bed by the time you've begun reading to those…children and then he'll begin to contemplate it."

"Daddy!" Sherlene's voice greeted.

"Sherlene, you should be sleeping." he replied. But he smiled at her all the same.

"Daddy someone was outside and he didn't look like he was admiring the curtains, like mummy said. I am not silly, and I won't fall for that. You're a hero and people will spy on you to try and hurt you. It could have been…"

"OK, sweetie calm down." Irene spoke. Despite being affected by last night, Sherlene was a million times happier on her father's knee as she went into details on what happened and how she felt.

"What I want to know, pearl is why you were out of bed in the first place?"

"I was waiting on you!"

"Don't blame this on me."

Irene shot Sherlock a look and he sighed. "You should not have been up at that time of the night."

"But I missed you." Sherlene replied, ready to cry. She was not used to her father scolding her but he was quite angry at the situation and that the person standing outside was connected to his case – the cigarette had been of Indian manufacture. Even Sherlock had to admit it was one hefty coincidence. He wasn't going to be taking chances.

Irene shot him a warning look and he saw Sherlene ready to cry.

"I'm sorry!" she replied before bursting into tears.

He kissed her forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's nothing that is your fault. I am not angry at you. I'm angry at other people. Now why don't you and lie on the couch and go to sleep for a while. Daddy isn't going anywhere."

She nodded. Sherlene was obviously really upset. She'd spoken more in those moments than she'd done in a lifetime, in Irene's eyes.

When Sherlene had fallen asleep, Sherlock put her blanket over her and put her teddy beside her.

"You need to control your temper around her. You frightened her." Irene stated. "I know it's sometimes hard to control how angry you are at a situation but she's just a little girl she doesn't understand."

"I know. I explained to her, didn't I? I'll buy her some presents and she'll feel better."

"You shouldn't toss your money around Sherlock and you're spoiling her. That is why she waits up for you to come home. She knows she'll get away with a lot more around you. You need to stop with the spoiling, Sherlock."

"I'll spoil her if I want." Sherlock replied, in a final tone.

**END OF CHAPTER THREE**

A/N Sorry for the late update. Been busy with school and stuff.


	8. Chapter 8

Sherlene awoke to the sound of Sherlock's dullest tones. It was twelve o'clock in the day, and about time she woke up too. She would only have liked it better if she had a better wake up call. "What do you mean it's out of your jurisdiction?...But I was…Yes I understand that."

Sherlene began listening when she heard Sherlock on the phone to her Uncle Greg, as she called him. "Please, Lestrade. I can solve any case but with him and his slow help I won't be able to…At least do one thing for me. I need you to get me Toby…Yes you can…Please…Look it's more than my pride here…"

Sherlock turned to Sherlene. "Pearl, could you go upstairs and get your colouring book for me. Daddy wants to see your nice pictures."

When Sherlene was gone Sherlock continued. "Someone was outside my flat last night and…I think that it could possibly be that, that person is connected with the case and that was there way of leaving a back off message…The cigarette they left behind was Indian…So what if I am just jumping to conclusions. Better safe than sorry!...I need Toby because he's specialised in everything…"

Sherlene came back in at that moment, with her colouring book. "Post." she said, handing him the letters that came through. Sherlock shot her a reassuring smile because she was frowning but she never smiled back.

"I think that if I had a competent inspector on the case with me then I would have solved this case by now." Sherlock replied.

He found a note in amongst the letters that he began to read. **"Stop searching, Mr Holmes or you'll be searching for them."**

It was signed with the old Sikh symbol for four.

"Greg, when someone in London who works with you quite regularly is being threatened would that case count as your jurisdiction? Is that your division?...Because someone just threatened me."

OooO

"I brought Toby." Lestrade stated, holding a lead which was clipped onto a German Sheppard's collar. Lestrade unclipped the lead and Toby walked into the living room.

Sherlene looked up and smiled as soon as she saw the dog. She was on the floor colouring in at the time. The dog walked over to her and she began to scratch its ears as the dog lay down next to her.

She picked up her animal book and began flicking through the pages. "There you are!" she said, joyfully, a hint of victory in her tone. John, Sherlock and Lestrade walked into the living room to see her smile.

"Hello, Sherlene." John greeted her.

Sherlene waved and showed her book to John. "Oh look, Sherlock she's found Toby in the book."

"It's not Toby it's just another German Sheppard." Sherlock replied.

"Don't worry about Toby he likes kids." Lestrade butted in. "I heard you're sick young lady. I hope you aren't pretending to get a day off of nursery."

Sherlene shot him one of her Sherlock looks and then looked back to Toby. "I spoke to Jones but he's not willing to share what he's got."

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Typical."

"Says he needs more in my jurisdiction than a threatening note. But I'll let you keep Toby. Sorry, Sherlock."

"Pearl, do you feel well enough to go outside for a while?" asked Sherlock.

She looked up as her father began putting on his coat and scarf. She didn't answer but yawned instead.

"By the way Mycroft is looking into the surveillance photos. He's getting his team to do the computer stuff on the photos that makes him magically see who is doing what." John explained.

"Very sophisticated of you John." Sherlock remarked.

"Oh hello boys!" Mrs Hudson spoke as she made her way inside. "Just checking up on things. Heard the little one is not well."

"Mrs Hudson thank goodness you are here. Could you keep an eye on Sherlene for me? I don't trust anyone else to look after her."

Mrs Hudson smiled. She loved the chance to spend time with Sherlene.

OooO

"Why did Lestrade give you a dog?" John asked, as Sherlock let Toby off of his leash. He let Toby smell a small paintbrush and then Tony began sniffing around him.

"Because the chip came from a boat that was recently varnished. That boat is here, somewhere."

"Right." John nodded. "I see."

"It would be terribly awkward if you went blind on me, John."

John winced. "So, Toby is searching for that boat using the smell of the Varnish."

"The Varnish is merely a few days old."

Sherlock saw Toby begin to sniff more vigorously at one boat in particular. Sherlock ran after him, and then Toby barked. When John caught up, Sherlock had his forensic gloves on as he held up a bag, with white powder inside. "Cocaine." Sherlock spoke.

Then he lifted up a machine gun from inside a box. "I think he's into a lot more than jewels. Do you think this is still Jones' jurisdiction? And look a footprint. I wonder if it matches."

John was first to notice a cigarette. "Sherlock look."

Sherlock picked it up and bagged it. "Definitely the same one as the one from outside my house. Question is, where are they just now? John call Lestrade."

"I am doing it just now. I can't wait to see Jones' face."

"Neither can I." Sherlock replied. "Called my Woman stupid."

"I wonder what Irene will call this case."

"The clever detectives and the stupid man." Sherlock suggested.

John laughed and phoned Lestrade. Sherlock removed his mobile and text Irene. He had proof now who was outside his flat. **"Sherlene, is with Mrs Hudson but once you've finished reading go straight back to her. I'm worried about her."**

"John tell Lestrade not to bring a crime scene team. I have an idea."

OooO

Irene came home and was about to step into the living room when she heard Sherlene talking away. She stopped and listened. "That's daddy, and mummy. Mummy was being chased and daddy saved her and then mummy told off uncle Mycroft because he was being grumpy because he's James Bond's boss."

Irene smiled. Sherlene was talking. To whom?

"You're not in a story yet but you will be. Mummy always makes stories from what daddy does. Because I am too young to understand it all. Daddy will teach me one day. Mummy and daddy are clever. But mummy is cleverer because she is a woman."

Irene had to cover her mouth so she wouldn't laugh.

"Mummy writes books for grownups as well. Daddy says that I can read them but mummy says no. So daddy said no after that. You're in this book though. You're a German Sheppard. I'm glad you're staying here, Toby."

Irene blinked. A dog was staying there. Permanently? She began to wonder. She decided it was best to step into the living room. "Hello, sweetie, where is daddy?"

"Molly."

"Where is Mrs Hudson?"

"Other flat."

Sherlene had gone back to simple sentences again and Irene felt like sighing. She kneeled on the floor and clapped Toby.

"Toby, is very lovely." Irene said. "Why did you say he was staying?"

"Uncle Greg said." Sherlene replied.

"_Oh no. She's obviously misunderstood."_

"I like Toby, he can sleep in my room. He'll look after me when daddy can't."

"Daddy will always look after you."

"Which is why he got Uncle Greg to bring Toby isn't it?"

Irene stopped to think of how to gently break to her daughter that it could be a misunderstanding.

"Woman, I need your help!" Sherlock called, as he opened the door and came inside.

"What?"

"I have a plan!"

**END OF CHAPTER EIGHT**


	9. Chapter 9

"Jonathan Small, was an ex-Indian intelligence officer. Was an expert in hacking, hence his ability to provide the means to closing off security to the most secure jewels in the entire museum." Mycroft spoke, in his office.

Irene was sat in the corner, and Sherlock and John were sitting at his desk.

"So he gives a disk to Mary's father and he puts it into the system. That disk contains the coding to shutting down the system."

"Along those lines, yes." Mycroft replied. "I forget that your abilities went into that area, as well."

"I have a lot of abilities." Irene replied, before standing up. Sherlock smiled. "So, the security is taken down and that allows the four grand larcenists into the museum. They get what they're looking for and then they leave."

"What do they do then? How did Mary's father get a hold of the stuff?" John asked.

"Stuff? Really?" Sherlock criticised.

Irene coughed. "May I continue?" she asked, Sherlock as she drew him a look. Sherlock looked back at her.

"Please do."

"But, Morstan doesn't get his end of the deal and he goes searching for it. That is when he puts behind three out of four of the members of the group. The fourth one lost his leg, to septicaemia, when he got shot by Indian police. Morstan may have been desperate for money but he wasn't a scoundrel. He took all of the treasure and he decided to share it with, Teddy Sholto's father but then that led to disagreement on how they'd split the whole thing and the stress forced him into a heart attack. What else could have caused his heart, to stop?"

"So, Small waits for years until Sholto's father dies." Sherlock spoke. "Then he waits until the treasure is found by hacking the security cameras around the estate. It's how he knew the exact point of entrance. Then he brings his hired hit man."

"Damien Lapele." Mycroft spoke. "He's the one that is in to the arms trade, and cocaine smuggling. It's his boat. Small sent him to deal with Sherlock working on the case."

"So he threatened my husband, to kill me and my daughter." Irene replied, gritting her teeth. "So when do we kill him?"

"Catch." Mycroft replied. "Our intentions are never to kill."

Irene raised an eyebrow and looked over to Sherlock. He wasn't seeing it that way, and she wasn't and she was sure that Mycroft wasn't seeing it that way either. He was just being diplomatic.

"So where are they just now?" John asked.

"Who knows but now he's got the treasure, he'll be putting it on the boat. He's probably having trouble transporting it."

"He'll want to leave as soon as possible." Mycroft spoke "So he'll likely leave tonight.

"We can't tell Jones this plan. He'll storm down and arrest on the basis of the murder only. We need to find the curiosities for, Mary." Sherlock spoke.

"Kind of you." John spoke.

"I'm not being kind."

"Yes you are."

"You could have just said thanks and left it at that."

"Boys." Irene spoke, before standing up and folding her arms. "By the way Sherlock, your daughter is under the impression Toby is there to stay forever and that you got him in to keep her safe for when you're not there."

Sherlock's eyes widened. "She's got the wrong end…"

"Yes I can see that but you need to explain to her that."

"Why can't you? It's bad news. She'll bee heart broken. Isn't that your job?"

"So it's my job to deal with that?"

"Yes, because we both know that I would make her feel worse."

"Perhaps if you put more effort into explaining things with kindness."

"Irene has a point, Sherlock. You made the mistake of letting her fall in to that impression. You explain to her. Take responsibility."

"But she'll be upset."

"Are you going to keep Toby?" John asked Sherlock.

"I can't."

"Then she's going to be upset. I'm on their side."

Sherlock drew one last look to Mycroft. "So here is the plan, Mycroft does what he does best and spies on people. When we know they are on their way with the jewels then we, with Lestrade will come alongside on a police boat. John and I will be armed of course. Then we get the jewels."

"And you'll get killed." Irene sang.

"Ah, but that's where you come in."

"Me?"

"You're going along on another boat while we distract them and you take out, Lapele."

"OK. But I will get killed."

"I'm doing the distracting, you won't."

"What about Sherlene?" Irene asked.

"I draw the line at bringing her to a raid with guns. She can stay in the flat with Toby and Mary."

"Sherlock when you say take out Lapele, does that mean I can kill him?" Irene asked

"I thought you were nice to people."

"Not when they threaten my daughter!"

Sherlock nodded. He understood. He was wanting to kill him too.

OooO

Jonathan Small was smiling as he looked through his boxes. "Finally I have what is mine, Damien." he said, with a smile to Lapele. "Did Sherlock Holmes back off?"

"I think he got the idea." Lapele, replied.

They suddenly heard the sound of a boat making its way over, and then they heard the sound a megaphone.

"This is the police, turn off your engines and wait for us to board."

"I don't think so." Lapele, spoke as he picked up his rifle. "You should have stayed away Mr Holmes. Now I am going to have to kill you and your wife. Maybe your daughter too."

"Over my dead body!" Irene's voice, came, firmly. She hit him over the head with a pole and knocked him unconscious. "I will get back to you later."

She turned to Small. "You sent him to threaten my family. Don't move!" Irene spoke, holding Lapele's rifle.

OooO

Teddy Sholto met, Sherlock and Mary back at Baker Street.

"If it was not for you, Mr Holmes I would never have gotten this back. My brother's murderers would not have been put behind bars and…"

"Perhaps not bars, but that's along the lines." Sherlock replied, as he thought about his brother's position in the government.

Teddy turned to Mary. "Anything you want, you can have."

"I do not want any of the treasure." Mary smiled.

John raised his eyebrows.

"But, it was…"

"The necklace itself is fine and it's not for its general value only it's sentimental value. The rest is yours."

"Mr Holmes, a pendant for Miss Adler? Show off her beauty." Teddy offered.

"No. She has plenty of them as it is." Sherlock replied. "Her beauty shines all the time. She needs no accessories for it."

Irene looked at him, knowing why he was being so charming. Sure she knew that he thought her beautiful but to openly say it meant he wanted something and she was not giving him it. She was not letting him off the hook with breaking the bad news to Sherlene.

She drew Sherlock a smile and shook her head. He shrugged his shoulders as though to say 'it was worth a try'.

When everyone had gone, Sherlock made his way to his laptop. "Where is, Pearl?"

"Upstairs, sleeping."

"Lestrade will be around for Toby in the morning."

"So is that when you'll explain it to her?"

"She's sleeping."

"OK. Well, tomorrow I'm popping out early. So you're on your own."

Sherlock looked away from Irene as she said that and then sat down. Irene left and went upstairs as Sherlock began to think.

**END OF CHAPTER NINE**


	10. Chapter 10

In the morning, Sherlene came downstairs, feeling much better. "Good morning." Sherlock said with a smile to Sherlene.

She ran up and hugged her father. "Thank you for, Toby. I love him."

"Emm…Sherlene. Toby isn't ours."

"But Uncle Greg said you could have him."

"He didn't mean permanently. I had to borrow Toby for a case."

"But he never said not…perm…not forever."

"Well that was unfortunate yes but…Toby is going away today."

"But I'll be sad."

"Sometimes that is life." Sherlock replied.

Sherlene looked ready to cry. "But Toby is a special dog for the police. He's a hero and he saves lives. He can't be a hero if you don't let him go."

"But who'll save me if I'm in trouble."

"Me." Sherlock replied, seriously.

"But you're not always here."

"The moment, I even hear that you're in trouble I will be Pearl. I will be."

Sherlock hugged her again and then told her to say goodbye to Toby. The doorbell rang, as she ran upstairs and Sherlock found Lestrade.

"I heard about the trouble you're having with…"

"It's all sorted."

"Why isn't she crying you aren't exactly the best at giving good news?"

"I stayed up all night and thought of something nice to say."

"You know if you are interested we have a few pups. Toby is the father. We can't keep all of them."

"I'll bear that in mind." Sherlock replied.

"Just give me a ring…You know something is curious. You said on the phone yesterday that I can solve any case but with Jones it would be more difficult because he was slow…Does that mean, that you…"

"It means what it means."

"But does that mean…"

"Yes, it does."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Sherlock replied. "Don't go boasting to all of your Scotland Yard friends."

Lestrade laughed.

OooO

Later that night…

"So, she was fine with it?" Irene asked.

"Yes, she was fine." Sherlock replied as he began making his way upstairs to go to sleep. He was exhausted.

Suddenly they heard crying coming from Sherlene's room. "She sounds fine." Irene said, sarcastically.

"She honestly was. She was happy all day." Sherlock spoke. "I was nice when I told her. I stayed up all night thinking on what to say."

"Still doesn't mean she isn't sad."

Sherlock felt guilty for her an made his way into his own room. "There is nothing I can do!" he snapped.

"OK. There is nothing you can do." Irene replied. She grabbed her pillows, and was about to leave.

"Where you going?" Sherlock asked.

"Away from you."

"But you told me to…"

"I didn't say not to comfort her!"

She slammed the door closed and Sherlock sighed. Nothing he did could ever please anyone at the moment.

OooO

Sherlene woke up the next morning to find her mother had made pancakes. She looked around the living room to see that her mother's pillows were on the sofa, with a blanket.

"Did you sleep down here?"

"Umm…"

"Why?"

"Just…"

"Daddy was being stupid again?"

"Daddy is always being stupid." Irene replied.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, darling."

"Will he be back?"

"I am sure he will. He left his most treasured possession here. His violin."

The door to the living room opened and in came Sherlock, carrying a bag in one hand and what looked like a German Sheppard puppy in the other."

Irene shook her head in exasperation. "I brought you presents, Pearl and a puppy."

_"He'll never learn."_

Sherlene smiled and Irene knew it was just the start of a very long lifetime of watching Sherlock spoil her daughter. _"I'm raising two children."_

"Daddy I want a magnifiying glass if you're giving me presents."

Irene looked horrified and Sherlock took one out of the bag he'd brought. She smiled and Irene shot him a look.

"What?" Sherlock asked, putting the puppy on the chair.

"Nothing. Nothing." She replied, exasperated.

**THE END **


End file.
